Together
by caritas2009
Summary: Alex goes looking for Arthur Layton taking her and Gene to Manchester meeting some old friends on the way
1. Chapter 1

December 1981

After she had watched her parents die in the car bomb, all Alex wanted was revenge for their deaths. She had been so depressed that she just had to get away for a while, take time to pull herself together and get a strategy for how to get home back to Molly, back to 2008. Alex had already told her DCI that she was leaving so he wouldn't be expecting her back anytime soon.

It had taken her two months, but she finally had a lead on Arthur Layton, the man her father had hired to put a bomb under their car so that the whole family could die together. She still couldn't bring herself to hate her father, but Layton was a different kettle of fish. He was the reason she was here. If she could stop him, she could go home.

Alex had used all her snouts and had learned that Layton had been seen in Manchester. She didn't have anyone to help her up there, but she knew someone here who did. But how could she convince him to accompany her to Manchester to find Layton? The case had already been turned over to Bomb Squad.

-----

Alex walked into Luigis knowing he would be there. As soon as she entered the bar, sure enough, she could see him sitting alone in his usual seat. The bar was otherwise empty; only Luigi was there, cleaning some of the tables.

Gene said nothing as she sat herself down beside him; he was busy filling in the department timesheets. The only acknowledgement that she had arrived was a quick heavy breath out of his nostrils

When he had finished he turned to her.

"You gonna tell me where you've been. Drake?"

Alex looked at him and knew she was going to have to come up with an answer. Maybe it was time for some of the truth.

"I need a drink first," she stalled.

Gene called over to Luigi.

"A bottle of your house red, sharpish!"

Gene poured Alex a glass and she drank it straight down. She the proceeded to tell him all about how she had been looking for Arthur Layton and that the information had led her to believe he had been seen in Manchester, Gene's old city

Finally, Gene spoke. "Have you reported this information to DCI Jenkins? It is technically his case now."

Alex replied, looking down at her empty glass.

"I wouldn't trust that idiot to bring in the washing. That bastard Layton murdered Caroline, Gene. You might not have liked her but she was my friend."

Gene could see how tired Alex looked. "So, you need the Gene Genie's help, right, Bolls?"

Alex looked at him and knew she was going to sound like the helpless female what ever she said. "I only need a list of snouts in the area."

Gene smirked. "You go to my neck of the woods alone 'n' looking like that, you'll get yourself into all sorts of mischief. I'll come with you, just to keep you out of trouble. Give me a few hours and I'll see if I can arrange some leave. Wait for my call in your flat."

-----

Next morning, Gene banged on Alex's door at 6am as arranged. As Alex opened the door, his eyes widened as he caught sight of the bulging suitcase.

"Bloody 'ell Bolls. You plannin' a holiday or summat? I only got a few days leave. Can't leave Raymondo in charge any longer or we won't have a station to go back to."

Alex smiled at the thought of the trouble the mice would get up to while the lion was away.

"Only a few essentials, Gene," she replied sweetly.

Gene sighed, then picked up the case and took it down to where the Quattro was parked, placing it into the boot where his own small holdall was. Then he got into the driver's seat and waited for Alex to appear. A couple of minutes later she came down with a flask of coffee. Gene looked at her sceptically.

"What?" she asked innocently. "It's a long drive."

Gene shook his head opened up the glove compartment, taking out a hipflask.

Alex just smiled to herself as Gene started the engine and the Quattro screeched away.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Alex had fallen asleep in the car as they had taken the long drive to Manchester. She was so tired, she hadn't had time to sleep for days and when she did catch a few minutes it was in the seat of a car after following some scum that could have led her closer to her goal. Now she was back with Gene she felt safe. He would help her; this time they would stop Layton. He wouldn't let anything bad happen to her, would he? So far in the time she had know him she had been locked in a vault, tied up and put in a meat freezer and nearly blown up twice, but each time she had survived because of him. Ray was right. With the Guv was the safest place to be.

The Quattro screeched to a halt and Alex woke up with a start. Gene got out of the car, ordering, "Wait here Drake, I'll be right back."

She watched as Gene disappeared into a phone box. A few minutes later he was back, holding a torn piece of paper in his hand.

"What's that, Guv?" Alex asked

Gene passed it to her. Written on it was the address of a club and a time.

They drove around for a while, stopping at times to talk to his snouts, and then he stopped outside a pub, The Railway Arms. Alex remembered the name from the recordings Sam Tyler had left her before he killed himself back in her real world.

"You hungry Bolls?" Gene asked as he got out of the car.

"I could eat something," she replied as she followed him into the pub.

It was just as she had imagined it from Sam's tapes. Detectives from the station over the road were standing at the bar. A few of them looked up tensely when they walked in.

Gene walked up to the bar. "A beer and a glass of your house red, Nelson."

The barman turned round at the sound of the familiar voice. "DCI Hunt! What brings you back here? I thought yo'd left for the big city! An' who is this fine looking lady you brought with you?"

"'ere on business, Nelson. An' this is Alex Drake."

Gene sat at the bar talking to Nelson while Alex sat down at one of the tables. She shivered with cold. She had been doing that a lot again lately, which made her feel that she was running out of time here. Somewhere in 2008 she lay dying, a single bullet in her head. Was she fooling herself that there was any chance of getting back?

Alex watched as Gene chatted away to Nelson. This was his city, where he belonged. Alex had felt that since they arrived. Gene never had convinced her of the reason why he abandoned the city he loved so much. Ok, so Sam had died and his wife had had an affair with DCI Litton, but Alex had always felt there was more to it than that.

Gene disturbed her thoughts when he walked over and placed chicken and chips in a basket on the table in front of her. Alex smiled.

"You can blame Sam for the baskets, it was his idea. Bloody thing caught on."

-----

After they had finished their meal, Gene put his jacket back on and turned to Alex. "There's a room upstairs, you can ask Nelson to show you. Get some sleep and freshen up, Bolls, you look done in. I'll be back for you later."

When Gene was gone Alex got up and went to the bar ordered a bottle of wine and then Nelson showed her to the room. She took off her coat and stretched; her body ached from too many nights sleeping in her car. She poured herself and drink and then ran the water for a bath.

-----

Alex was suddenly woken by an knocking at the door. She shivered; the water had turned freezing while she slept. Quickly wrapping her largest towel around her, she answered the door.

"You ready yet Bolls?" Gene stuttered as his eyes followed the curves of her body. He forced himself to look away, trying to compose himself.

"Come in and pour yourself a glass," Alex replied, gesturing at the bottle. "I'll be back in a moment."

Gene sat down and picked up the paper dated a month ago. The headline was 'Serial killer still on loose in Manchester'. Gene groaned. Didn't surprise him that they hadn't caught him yet with that bastard Litton running the Team. So far there had been six bodies found.

After a few moments Alex returned. She gave herself a quick glance in the mirror. If her colleagues back home could see her now they would never recognise her; she barely recognised herself.

"How do I look?" she asked.

Gene looked at her and thought, 'bloody amazing,' but said out loud, "Not bad. You'll do I suppose." She smiled knowingly at him and he sent her a narrow stare in response. "Hurry up, Drake, we'll be late," he grunted, chucking her jacket at her and urging her out of the room.


End file.
